Notification system for mobile devices

ABSTRACT

A method for sensory alert notification comprises retrieving an uncharacterized event record associated with a first user and a second user. The method comprises characterizing the uncharacterized event record by assigning a value to the uncharacterized event record based on an event impact value that characterizes an impact of the uncharacterized event record, a first user identifier, and a second user identifier. The method comprises generating a notification record comprising the characterized event record and a notification urgency value and generating a sensory alert notification, comprising one or more of a repeat and intensity rate of vibrating pulses, a repeat and a pitch rate of beeps of sound, and a repeat rate and a color of blinks of light, based on the notification record. The method further comprises transmitting the sensory alert notification to a mobile computing device of the second user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 62/264,612, filed on Dec. 8, 2015, which is hereby incorporatedby reference in entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to computer and network system,and more particularly relates to users notification systems and methodsregarding events of varied importance, relevancy, and urgency.

BACKGROUND

Users are increasingly relying upon various electronic and computingdevices to track, receive, and update various types of information andhandle various types of tasks. For example, many users rely uponcomputing devices to maintain and organize schedules and provide themwith reminders for events and notifications of incoming communications,news, and other such information. These reminders and notificationstypically come in the form of an alert. In order to alert the user tothe receipt of the notification data and/or the new instant messageindicated by the notification data, the computing device may output themessage with text displayed on a display screen to indicate to the userthat the new instant message was received.

Conventional notification-based alert fail in obtaining the attention ofthe user at a particular time. At other times, although the output of analert may succeed in obtaining the attention of the user, the output ofthe alert may be perceived as a distraction, disruption, and/orannoyance, at a particular time since users are increasingly utilizingmultiple computing devices, where each device is often tethered to thesame email, messaging accounts, and the users are often bombarded withthe same reminders and notifications simultaneously on all devices,resulting in multiple redundant audible and visual alerts. As technologyadvances it can be advantageous to adapt the ways in which thesenotification alerts are presented to users.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for a notification managementsystem (NMS) that operates within a system hardware and softwarearchitecture and manages sending notification messages to users. The NMSsystem architecture may comprise a plurality of communication networks,a plurality of mobile devices, and plurality of wearable computingdevices. The NMS system enables companies to send notifications to usersabout events relevant to the businesses to act upon notified events in atimely manner without necessarily interrupting tasks the users may beperforming when the notification is delivered. The process of thepresent disclosure comprising automatically sending notifications tousers about events relevant to the users' business, alert the usersabout the incoming notifications, and collect responses from the userswhen the originating events require a response from the user allows thecompanies networking and communication system to be efficient, andfurther allows companies to perform large amounts of work in large datasets in an efficient manner while avoiding time-consuming analysismanually performed by humans.

In an embodiment, a method comprises receiving, by a mobile electronicdevice associated with a user, a notification message from a computingdevice, wherein the notification message comprises at least an eventimpact record and a notification urgency record corresponding to theuser of the mobile electronic device, wherein the user of the mobileelectronic device is identified by matching biometric data of the userwith local biometric data stored in a database. The method furthercomprises generating, by the mobile electronic device, first sensoryoutput signals and second sensory output signals. The mobile computingdevice is configured to store a plurality of sensory alerts presets ofthe first sensory output signals and the second sensory output signals.The method further comprises generating, by the mobile electronicdevice, an impact sensory alert. The impact sensory alert is generatedbased on the comparison between the event impact record with theplurality of sensory alerts presets of the first sensory output signalsand the second sensory output signals. The method further comprisesgenerating, by the mobile electronic device, an urgency sensory alert.The urgency sensory alert is generated based on the comparison betweenthe notification urgency record with the plurality of sensory alertspresets of the first sensory output signals and the second sensoryoutput signals. The method further comprises outputting, by the mobileelectronic device, the impact sensory alert and the urgency sensoryalert via the first sensory output signals and second sensory outputsignals.

In another embodiment, a method comprises generating, by a computingdevice, a notification message from one or more records in a databasewhere the notification message comprises at least an event impact recordand a notification urgency record. The method comprises receiving, atthe mobile electronic device associated with an user the notificationmessage from the computing device upon identification of the mobileelectronic device. The user of the mobile electronic device isidentified by matching biometric data of the user with local biometricdata stored in the database. The notification message comprises a firstnotification record, a second notification record, and a responserequest record. The method further comprises generating, by the mobileelectronic device, first sensory output signals and second sensoryoutput signals, and stores a plurality of sensory alerts presets of thefirst sensory output signals and the second sensory output signals. Themethod further comprises generating, by the mobile electronic device, afirst sensory alert via the first sensory output signals and the secondsensory output signals. The first sensory alert is generated bycomparing the first notification record with the plurality of sensoryalerts presets of the first sensory output signals and the secondsensory output signals. The method further comprises generating, by themobile electronic device, a second sensory alert via the first sensoryoutput signals and the second sensory output signals. The second sensoryalert is generated by comparing the second notification record with theplurality of sensory alerts presets of the first sensory output signalsand the second sensory output signals. The method further comprisescreating, by the mobile electronic device, a response request form basedupon the response request record.

In another embodiment, a computing system comprises a wirelesstransceiver, and a memory that stores a plurality of sensory alertpresets of a first sensory output device and a second sensory outputdevice. The computing device further comprises an user notificationsystem, operatively coupled to the first sensory output device, thesecond sensory output device, and the wireless transceiver. The usernotification system is configured to receive an user notificationmessage from a computing device via the wireless transceiver uponidentification of the user of the user notification system. The user ofthe user notification system is identified by matching biometric data ofthe user with local biometric data stored in a database. Thenotification message comprises an event impact record and a notificationurgency record. The user notification system is further configured tocreate an impact sensory alert by comparing the event impact record withthe plurality of sensory alert presets of a first sensory output deviceand a second sensory output device. The user notification system isfurther configured to create an urgency sensory alert by comparing thenotification urgency record with the plurality of sensory alert presetsof a first sensory output device and a second sensory output device. Theuser notification system is further configured to execute the impactsensory alert and the urgency sensory alert via the first sensory outputdevice and the second sensory output device.

In another embodiment, a method comprises retrieving, by a server, anuncharacterized event record from an event database, wherein theuncharacterized event record is associated with a first user and asecond user. The method comprises characterizing, by the server, theuncharacterized event record, wherein characterizing comprises assigninga value to the uncharacterized event record based on an event impactvalue that characterizes an impact of the uncharacterized event record,a first user identifier, and a second user identifier. The methodcomprises generating, by the server, a notification record, wherein thenotification record comprises the characterized event record and anotification urgency value. The method comprises generating, by theserver, a sensory alert notification, wherein the sensory alertnotification is based on the notification record and the notificationurgency value, wherein the sensory alert notification comprises at leastone of a repeat and intensity rate of vibrating pulses, a repeat and apitch rate of an audible alert, and a repeat rate and visual alert, andwherein: when the notification urgency value is associated with anurgent negative notification record, then the sensory alert notificationhas a first setting of vibrating pulses, audible alert, and visualalert, when the notification urgency value is associated with anon-urgent negative notification record, then the sensory alertnotification has a second setting of vibrating pulses, audible alert,and visual alert, when the notification urgency value is associated withan urgent positive notification record, then the sensory alertnotification has a third setting of vibrating pulses, audible alert, andvisual alert, and when the notification urgency value is associated witha non-urgent positive notification record, then the sensory alertnotification has a fourth setting of vibrating pulses, audible alert,and visual alert. The method further comprises transmitting, by theserver, the sensory alert notification to a mobile computing deviceassociated with the second user.

In another embodiment, a computer system comprises a server, which isconfigured to retrieve an uncharacterized event record from an eventdatabase, wherein the uncharacterized event record is associated with afirst user and a second user. The server is configured to characterizethe uncharacterized event record, wherein characterizing comprisesassigning a value to the uncharacterized event record based on an eventimpact value that characterizes an impact of the uncharacterized eventrecord, a first user identifier, and a second user identifier. Theserver is configured to generate a notification record, wherein thenotification record comprises the characterized event record and anotification urgency value. The server is configured to generate asensory alert notification, wherein the sensory alert notification isbased on the notification record and the notification urgency value,wherein the sensory alert notification comprises at least one of arepeat and intensity rate of vibrating pulses, a repeat and a pitch rateof an audible alert, and a repeat rate and visual alert, and wherein:when the notification urgency value is associated with an urgentnegative notification record, then the sensory alert notification has afirst setting of vibrating pulses, audible alert, and visual alert, whenthe notification urgency value is associated with a non-urgent negativenotification record, then the sensory alert notification has a secondsetting of vibrating pulses, audible alert, and visual alert, when thenotification urgency value is associated with an urgent positivenotification record, then the sensory alert notification has a thirdsetting of vibrating pulses, audible alert, and visual alert, and whenthe notification urgency value is associated with a non-urgent positivenotification record, then the sensory alert notification has a fourthsetting of vibrating pulses, audible alert, and visual alert. The serveris further configured to transmit the sensory alert notification to amobile computing device associated with the second user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure are described by wayof example with reference to the accompanying figures which areschematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale. Unless indicated asrepresenting the background art, the figures represent aspects of thedisclosure.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for notifying users ofrelevant events, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary notification management system (NMS) computingdevice in which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure mayoperate, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary mobile notification system (MNS) computing devicein which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may operate,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary wearable notification system (WNS) computingdevice in which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure mayoperate, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an exemplary subsystem of acharacterization module within a notification management system (NMS),according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary subsystem of a messagingmodule within a notification management system (NMS), according to anembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an exemplary subsystem of a security modulewithin a mobile notification system (MNS), according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an exemplary subsystem of a sensors andalerts module within a wearable notification system (WNS), according toan embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an exemplary subsystem of a responsecollection module within a wearable notification system (WNS), accordingto an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for notifying relevantevents to users, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for characterizingnotifications according to level of urgency and impact, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for communicatingnotification messages to users, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for determining if awearable computing device is authorized to receive a notificationmessage, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for alerting an authorizeduser of relevant incoming notification messages, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for collecting responsesto notification messages from authorized users, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 16 is a table of exemplary data including sensory alerts presetsfor characterized notification messages, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a table of exemplary data including text strings, responsedata type, input control type, and button type, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of sensory alerts for characterizednotification messages, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is here described in detail with reference toembodiments illustrated in the drawings, which form a part here. Otherembodiments may be used and/or other changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Theillustrative embodiments described in the detailed description are notmeant to be limiting of the subject matter presented here.

Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated inthe drawings, and specific language will be used here to describe thesame. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scopeof the invention is thereby intended. Alterations and furthermodifications of the inventive features illustrated here, and additionalapplications of the principles of the inventions as illustrated here,which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and havingpossession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope ofthe invention.

System Components and Architecture

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system 100 for notifying usersof relevant events, according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, system 100includes Notification Management System (NMS) 120, Mobile NotificationSystem (MNS) 130, Wearable Notifications Management System (WNS) 140,events database 150, notifications database 160, mobile database 170,wearable database 180, communication network 102, communication network104, mobile device 106, and wearable devices 108, 110 and 112, amongothers. In the present disclosure, the terms “wearable device” and“wearable computing device” are used interchangeably. Also, the term“user” and “agent” are used interchangeably.

In some embodiments, NMS 120 includes one or more programs executing oneor more software modules, such as, one or more characterization modulesand one or more messaging modules. The software modules operating withinNMS 120 are further described in FIGS. 5 and 6, below. In theseembodiments, MNS 130 includes one or more programs executing one or moresoftware modules, such as, one or more security modules. The one or moreprograms executing software modules operating within MNS 130 are furtherdescribed in FIG. 7, below. Further to these embodiments, WNS 140includes one or more programs executing one or more software modules,such as, one or more sensors and alerts modules, and one or moreresponse collection modules. The software modules operating within WNS140 are further described in FIGS. 8 and 9, below. It should beunderstood that system 100 can include more components, less components,or different components depending on desired goals.

Each of the different software components of system 100 may beimplemented within any type of suitable processor-controlled device thatreceives, processes, and/or transmits digital data, example of which areconfigured as further described in FIGS. 2-4, below. Examples of devicesincorporating one or more suitable processors for running one or morealgorithms executing software that manages customer data, events, andnotifications include smart watches, smartphones, desktop computers,laptop computers, servers, tablets, PDAs, and the like.

In FIG. 1, NMS 120 is operating on a server (not shown, but described inFIG. 2, below) operatively coupled to and in bi-directionalcommunication with one or more events databases 150, notificationsdatabases 160, and communication networks 102. In some embodiments,communication network 102 is operatively coupled to and inbi-directional communication with one or more computing devices 106. Inthese embodiments, computing devices 106 are operatively coupled to andin bi-directional communication with communication network 104. Furtherto these embodiments, computing devices 106 each include its own MNS 130as well as one or more mobile databases 170 that are operatively coupledto and in bi-directional communication with one another. In someembodiments, communication network 104 is operatively coupled to and inbi-directional communication with computing devices 108, 110, and/or112. In these embodiments, each computing device 108, 110, and 112includes its own WNS 140 and wearable database 180 that are operativelycoupled to and in bi-directional communication with one another.

In some embodiments, events database 150 is a database that receives,stores, and provides event records to authenticated senders/requestors.In the present disclosure, authenticated senders/requesters meansauthenticated user accounts/identifiers, and authenticated useraccounts/identifiers for other users such as company employees, that areauthorized to receive and/or provide records to one or more databases ofsystem 100. In these embodiments, the event records comprise eventrecord data that includes relevant information pertaining to eventsassociated with a plurality of users. Further to these embodiments, dataincluded within the event records comprises an event's details data, thecustomer to which the event is related, the user to which the event isrelated, and the response request information. Examples of event detailsdata includes an event identifier, an event type, notes related to theevent, a short description of the event, and a detailed description ofthe event, among others. Examples of response request informationinclude a text string to be displayed on the graphical user interface ofa computing device when requesting the response, and a data type of therequested response (e.g., text, numeric, and Boolean, among others) foruse in producing an user response. Events database 150 is furtherdescribed in FIGS. 5 and 6, below.

In some embodiments, events records within events database 150 areroutinely populated with record data by additional company's servers(not shown). In these embodiments, additional company's servers areoperatively coupled to the system 100 through one or more suitablenetwork connections and the record data is stored at events database150. Further to these embodiments, companies' servers may include anassociated database and one or more associated software modules.

Events database 150 may be implemented as a database management system,such as, for example, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Microsoft SQL Server,Microsoft Access, Oracle, SAP, dBASE, FoxPro, IBM DB2, LibreOffice Base,FileMaker Pro and/or any other type of database that may organizecollections of data, such as, for example, a relational database, amulti-dimensional database, and the like.

In some embodiments, notifications database 160 receives, stores, andprovides notification records to authenticated senders/requestors. Inthese embodiments, the notification records comprise notification recorddata that includes information pertaining to characterized notificationsassociated with and derived from event records within events database150. Examples of notification record data include: an associated eventidentifier; the event impact record; the notification identifier; thenotification description; the urgency of the associated notification; anotification message based on certain records from notification database160; and an user response to the notification message, among others.Notifications database 160 is further described in FIGS. 5 and 6, below.

In some embodiments, the characterization module within NMS 120retrieves information associated with an event from events database 150,creates notification description records associated with the event,determines the event impact, determines the associated notificationurgency and stores the characterized notification information as well asthe determined impact and urgency at notifications database 160.

In some embodiments, the messaging module within NMS 120 creates thenotification message based on records from notification database 160 andsends a signal to MNS 130 including the created notification message. Inthese embodiments, the messaging module embeds notification recordswithin the notification message and the embedded notification recordsinclude associated event impact, associated urgency, and associatedresponse request, among others.

Notifications database 160 may be implemented as a database managementsystem, such as, for example, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Microsoft SQLServer, Microsoft Access, Oracle, SAP, dBASE, FoxPro, IBM DB2,LibreOffice Base, FileMaker Pro and/or any other type of database thatmay organize collections of data, such as, for example, a relationaldatabase, a multi-dimensional database, and the like.

In some embodiments, mobile database 170 refers to a database thatreceives, stores, and provides mobile records to authenticatedsenders/requestors. In these embodiments, the mobile records comprisemobile record data that includes a notification message received from anotification management system, such as, NMS 120; an associated userresponse; an authorized user's biometric data; and a mobile notificationmessage. Examples of user biometric data include biometrics obtained bysensors on a wearable device which uniquely identify the user, such as,for example fingerprint, heart rate, pulse, voice, iris image, facialrecognition, among others. Mobile database 170 is further described inFIG. 7, below.

In some embodiments, the security module within MNS 130 creates themobile notification message based on the notification message receivedfrom NMS 120. In these embodiments, the security module sends signals toWNS 140 through communication network 104 to instruct WNS 140 to providelocal biometric data to MNS 130, as well as instructing mobile database170 to provide user biometric data to MNS 130. Further to theseembodiments, the security module sends signals to WNS 140 to send themobile notification message to WNS 140 when the security module finds amatch between the user biometric data and the local biometric data.

In these embodiments, the notification message received from thenotification management system and the mobile notification messagecreated by the security module include embedded notification records,such as, for example event impact, urgency, and an associated responserequest among others.

Mobile database 170 may be implemented as a database management system(DBMS), such as, for example, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Microsoft SQLServer, Microsoft Access, Oracle, SAP, dBASE, FoxPro, IBM DB2,LibreOffice Base, FileMaker Pro and/or any other type of database thatmay organize collections of data, such as, for example, a relationaldatabase, a multi-dimensional database (MDB), and the like.

In some embodiments, wearable database 180 refers to a database thatreceives, stores, and provides wearable records to authenticatedsenders/requestors. In these embodiments, the wearable records comprisewearable record data that includes a mobile notification messagereceived from a mobile notification system, such as MNS 130, anassociated user's response, local biometric data, as well as sensoryalerts presets. Examples of local biometric data include biometricsobtained by sensors on a wearable device, which uniquely identify theuser currently wearing the wearable device, such as, for examplefingerprint, heart rate, pulse, voice, iris image, facial recognition,among others. Wearable database 180 is further described in FIGS. 8 and9, below.

In some embodiments, the sensors and the alert module within WNS 140sends signals to MNS 130 to request MNS 130 to provide a notificationmessage to WNS 140. In these embodiments, the sensors and the alertsmodule instructs wearable database 180 to store the receivednotification message and instructs wearable database 180 to provideassociated sensory alerts presets to WNS 140. In some embodiments, themobile notification message received from the mobile notification systemincludes embedded notification records, such as, for example associatedevent impact, associated urgency, and associated response request amongothers.

Further to these embodiments the sensors and alerts module controls aplurality of vibration actuators, speakers, and LED/display devices tooutput a combination of vibrating pulses, sounds, and light alerts onWNS 140 corresponding to the associated sensory alerts presets. In thepresent disclosure, devices that “execute” sensory alerts (e.g., underthe control of the sensors and alert modules), such as vibrationactuators, speakers, and LED/display devices, are sometimes called“sensory output devices”. The human-perceptible output signals of thesedevices, such as vibrating pulses, sound alerts, and light alerts, aresometimes herein called “sensory outputs”, or “sensory output signals”.

As used in the present disclosure, “sensory alerts” are outputs of awearable device that can be sensed by an user; these are also sometimescalled stimuli herein as they are intended to stimulate a response fromthe user of the wearable device. As used in the present disclosure,“sensory alerts presets” are preset values of output parameters forgiven types of sensory alert. Examples of sensory alerts presets includepresets for the repeat rate and intensity of vibrating pulses, repeatrate and pitch of beeps of sound, and repeat rate and color of blinks oflight, executed by an associated wearable device. In an embodiment, awearable device associated with a mobile notification message executessensory alerts presets based on the urgency associated with thenotification message, and the impact value associated with thenotification message.

In these embodiments, the sensory alerts presets are a collection ofavailable orthogonal triple redundant sensory alerts, intended to alertan user to a notification message. As used herein, “orthogonal redundantsensory alerts” refer to sensory alerts that provide multiple stimuli(such as stimuli selected from vibration, sound, and light), where theinformation conveyed by the multiple stimuli is completely unique anddoes not intersect. Generally, these stimuli are based upon availablesensory outputs of the wearable device. The term “orthogonal tripleredundant” sensory alert refers to sensory alerts that provide threedifferent stimuli (such as vibration, sound, and light) that conveyunique, non-intersecting information to the user.

In some embodiments, a response collection module within WNS 140retrieves a notification message from wearable database 180, determinesthe type of response to be requested from the user, and presents therequested response information to the user. In these embodiments, theresponse collection module collects a response from the user, and sendsa signal to MNS 130 through communication network 104 to communicate theuser response to MNS 130.

Wearable database 180 may be implemented as a database management system(DBMS), such as, for example, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Microsoft SQLServer, Microsoft Access, Oracle, SAP, dBASE, FoxPro, IBM DB2,LibreOffice Base, FileMaker Pro and/or any other type of database thatmay organize collections of data, such as, for example, a relationaldatabase, a multi-dimensional database (MDB), and the like.

In some embodiments, the characterization module within NMS 120retrieves information associated with an event from events database 150,creates notification description records associated with the event,determines the event impact, determines the associated notificationurgency and stores the notification description records as well as thedetermined impact and urgency at notifications database 160.

In these embodiments, the messaging module within NMS 120 is implementedas one or more messaging modules comprising computer software thatincludes programmatic rules or logic for instructing notificationdatabase 160 to provide information associated with a characterizednotification to NMS 120. Further to these embodiments, the messagingmodule includes programmed logic for creating a notification message,instructing mobile database 160 to store the created notificationmessage, and sending signals to MNS 130 through communication network102 to communicate the created notification message to MNS 130.

In some embodiments, the security module within MNS 130 is implementedas one or more security modules comprising computer software thatincludes programmatic rules or logic for instructing mobile database 170to provide notification messages to MNS 130. In these embodiments, thesecurity module includes programmatic rules or logic for creating amobile notification message and instructing mobile database 170 to storethe mobile notification message. Further to these embodiments, thesecurity module comprises computer software that includes programmaticrules or logic for sending signals to WNS 140 through communicationnetwork 104 to instruct WNS 140 to provide local biometric data to MSN130, as well as instructing mobile database 170 to provide userbiometric data that has been confirmed for an authorized user to MNS130. (In the present disclosure, the terms “user biometric data” and“confirmed biometric data” are used interchangeably). Yet further tothese embodiments, the security module includes programmatic rules orlogic for sending signals to WNS 140 to send the mobile notificationmessage to WNS 140 when the security module finds a match between theconfirmed biometric data and the local biometric data.

In some embodiments, the sensors and alert module within WNS 140 isimplemented as one or more security modules comprising computer softwarethat includes programmatic rules or logic for sending a signal to MNS130 to request MNS 130 to provide a notification message to WNS 140. Inthese embodiments, the sensors and alerts module includes programmaticrules or logic for instructing wearable database 180 to store thereceived notification message and instructing wearable database 180 toprovide associated sensory alerts presets to WNS 140. Further to theseembodiments the sensors and alerts module includes programmatic rules orlogic for controlling a plurality of vibration actuators, speakers, andLED/display devices to execute a combination of vibrating pulses, soundalerts, and light alerts on WNS 140 corresponding to the associatedsensory alerts presets.

In some embodiments, the sensors and alerts module includes programmaticrules or logic for checking user interaction with the WNS 140, anddisplaying infographics on WNS 140 when the sensors and alerts moduledetects signals indicating that the user has moved WNS 140 to a positionto view the display of WNS 140.

In some embodiments, a response collection module within WNS 140includes programmatic rules or logic for retrieving a mobilenotification message from wearable database 180, and extracting aresponse request record embedded within the mobile notification message.In these embodiments, the response collection module includesprogrammatic rules or logic for determining a text string and a datatype from the extracted response request record. Further to theseembodiments, the response collection module includes programmatic rulesor logic for creating a form based on the text string and data type,displaying the form on the user interface of WNS 140, and collecting aresponse from an user.

In some embodiments, text strings and data types are included within themobile notification message as part of the mobile notification messageformat. In an example, a text string and a response data type areincluded within a mobile notification message as headers within an emailmessage compliant with RFC 2047, 4021, and the like. Examples of textstrings and data types embedded within a mobile notification message arefurther described in FIG. 17, below.

In some embodiments, the response collection module includesprogrammatic logic or rules for sending a signal to MNS 130 throughcommunication network 104 to communicate the user response to MNS 130.In these embodiments, MNS 130 includes programmatic logic or rules forinstructing mobile database 170 to store the user response. Further tothese embodiments, MNS 130 includes programmatic logic or rules forsending signals including the user response to NMS 120 throughcommunication network 102 to communicate the user response to NMS 120.In these embodiments, NMS 120 includes programmatic logic or rules toinstruct notifications database 160 to store the user response.

In operation, the characterization module within NMS 120 retrievesinformation associated with an event from events database 150, createsnotification description records associated with the event, determinesthe event impact, determines the associated notification urgency andstores the notification description records as well as the determinedimpact and urgency at notifications database 160.

In some embodiments, the messaging module within NMS 120 retrievesnotification description records, associated event impact, and urgencyfrom notifications database 160, creates a notification messageincluding notification description and associated event impact andurgency records, and communicates the notification message to MNS 130through communication network 102. In these embodiments, the securitymodule within MNS 130 communicates with NMS 120 through communicationnetwork 102 to retrieve a notification message, creates a mobilenotification based on the received notification message, communicateswith WNS 140 through communication network 104 to retrieve the localbiometric data from WNS 140, and retrieves user biometric data (i.e.,confirmed biometric data) from mobile database 170. Further to theseembodiments, the security module compares the user biometric data withthe local biometric data received from WNS 140, and communicates themobile notification message to the WNS when the security moduledetermines a match between the confirmed biometric data and the localbiometric data.

In some embodiments, the sensors and alerts module within WNS 140receives a mobile notification message from MNS 130, stores the mobilenotification message at wearable database 180, determines if the mobilenotification message requires sensory alerts to be played, and retrievessensory alerts presets from wearable database 180. In these embodiments,the sensors and alerts module matches the mobile notification message tothe corresponding sensory alert, and controls a plurality of vibrationactuators, speakers, and LED/display devices to execute a combination ofvibrating pulses, sound alerts, and light alerts, corresponding to thematching presets, on WNS 140. Further to these embodiments, the sensorsand alerts module retrieves gyroscopic data, and gestures sensors data,among other data from a plurality of sensors to determine a position ofWNS 140. Yet further to these embodiments, the sensors and alerts moduledisplays infographics on WNS 140 when the sensors and alerts moduledetermines that the user wearing WNS 140 has moved WNS 140 to a positionto view the display of WNS 140.

In some embodiments, the response collection module within WNS 140retrieves a mobile notification message from wearable database 180,determines the type of response to be requested from the user based onthe response requested information embedded within the notificationmessage, presents the response request information to the user, andcollects an user response. In these embodiments, the response collectionmodule communicates the user response to MNS 130 through communicationnetwork 104. Further to these embodiments, MNS 130 stores the userresponse received from WNS 140 within mobile database 170, andcommunicates the response to NMS 120 through communication network 102.Yet further to these embodiments, NMS 120 stores the user response fromreceived from MNS 130 within notifications database 160.

In some embodiments, the aforementioned modules are implemented as a setof computer instructions executed by central processing units (notshown, but described in FIG. 2) that may run computer executable programinstructions or related algorithms. In these embodiments, NMS 120, MNS130, WNS 140, and computing devices 108, 110, and 112 each include theirown central processing unit.

In some embodiments, NMS 120, MNS 130, WNS 140, and computing devices108, 110, and 112 are employed in a distributed configuration. Moreover,network infrastructures such as communication network 102 andcommunication network 104 facilitate interaction between the componentsof the system for notifying relevant events to users. Examples ofsuitable network infrastructures include intranets, local area networks(LAN), virtual private networks (VPN), wide area networks (WAN), theWorld Wide Web, and the like.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary notification management system computing devicein which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may operate,according to an embodiment. In FIG. 2, system 200 includes NotificationManagement System (NMS) 220, events database 250, notifications database260, and communication network 202. NMS 220 includes NMS input/output(I/O) device 221, NMS memory 222, NMS storage device 223, NMS localinterface 224, NMS processor 225, and NMS bus 226. System 200 mayinclude additional, fewer, different, or differently arranged componentsthan those illustrated in FIG. 2.

As used in the present disclosure, the term “memory” encompasses variouscomputer components, devices, and recording media for retaining digitaldata, which may be identified as “memory” and may be identified usingother terms such as storage device.

In FIG. 2, NMS 220 is operatively coupled to and in bi-directionalcommunication with one or more events databases 250, notificationsdatabases 260, and communication network 202. In these embodiments, NMSbus 226 is operatively coupled to and in bi-directional communicationwith input/output (I/O) device 221, NMS memory 222, NMS storage device223, NMS local interface 224, and NMS processor 225. Further to theseembodiments, NMS bus 226 includes a path that permits components withinNMS 220 to communicate with one another.

Examples of NMS (I/O) device 221 include peripherals and/or othermechanism that may enable a user to input information to NMS 220,including a keyboard, computer mice, buttons, touch screens,microphones, voice recognition, biometric mechanisms, and the like. NMS(I/O) devices 221 also include a mechanism that outputs information tothe user of NMS 220, such as, for example a display, a light emittingdiode (LED), a printer, a speaker, and the like.

Examples of NMS local interface 224 include mechanisms that enable NMS220 to communicate with other computing devices and/or systems throughnetwork connections such as communication network 202. Examples ofnetwork connections include any suitable connection between computers,such as, for example intranets, local area networks (LANs), virtualprivate networks (VPNs), wide area networks (WANs), the Internet, andthe like. Examples of NMS memory 222 include random access memory (RAM),read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, and the like. Examples of NMSstorage device 223 include magnetic and/or optical recording medium,ferro-electric RAM (F-RAM) hard disks, solid-state drives, floppy disks,optical discs, and the like. In one embodiment, NMS memory 222 storesinformation and instructions for execution by NMS processor 225. In yetanother embodiment, NMS processor 225 includes a microprocessor, anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field programmableobject array (FPOA), and the like. In these embodiments, NMS processor225 interprets and executes instructions retrieved from NMS memory 222and NMS storage device 223.

In an example and referring to FIG. 1 Notification Management System 220implements the programmatic logic and/or rules associated withNotification Management System 120 of system 100, and communicationnetwork 202 implements the programmatic logic and/or rules associatedwith communication network 102. Further to this example, events database250 and notifications database 260 implement the programmatic logicand/or rules associated with events database 150 and notificationsdatabase 160 of system 100.

Examples of these implementations include servers, authorized computingdevices, smartphones, desktop computers, laptop computers, tabletcomputers, PDAs, and other types of processor-controlled devices thatmay receive, process, transmit digital data, and the like. Additionally,NMS 220 may perform certain operations that are required for the properoperation of system 100. In some embodiments, NMS 220 may perform theseoperations in response to NMS processor 225 executing softwareinstructions contained in a computer-readable medium, such as, NMSmemory 222. Each NMS processor 225 unit may be a component of computingdevices such as a server, a single computer, or multiple computers in adistributed configuration.

In some embodiments, the software instructions of NMS 220 are read intoNMS memory 222 from another memory location, such as NMS storage device223, or from another computing device via NMS local interface 224. Inthis embodiment, the software instructions contained within NMS memory222 cause NMS processor 225 to perform processes that will be describedin FIGS. 10 and 11, below. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may beused in place of or in combination with software instructions toimplement processes described herein. Thus, implementations describedherein are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitryand software.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary mobile notification system computing device inwhich one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may operate,according to an embodiment. In FIG. 3, system 300 includes MobileNotification System (MNS) 330, communication network 302, andcommunication network 304. MNS 330 includes mobile database 360, MNSinput/output (I/O) device 331, MNS memory 332, MNS storage device 333,MNS local interface 334, MNS processor 335, and MNS bus 326. System 300may include additional, fewer, different, or differently arrangedcomponents than those illustrated in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 3, MNS 330 is operatively coupled to and in bi-directionalcommunication with one or more communication network 302, andcommunication network 304. In these embodiments, MNS bus 336 isoperatively coupled and in bi-directional communication with mobiledatabases 330, input/output (I/O) device 331, MNS memory 332, MNSstorage device 333, MNS local interface 334, and MNS processor 335.Further to these embodiments, MNS bus 336 includes a path that permitscomponents within MNS 330 to communicate with one another.

Examples of MNS (I/O) device 331 include peripherals and/or othermechanism that may enable a user to input information to MNS 330,including a keyboard, computer mice, buttons, touch screens,microphones, voice recognition, and biometric mechanisms, and the like.MNS (I/O) devices 331 also include a mechanism that outputs informationto the user of MNS 330, such as, for example a display, a light emittingdiode (LED), a printer, a speaker, and the like.

Examples of MNS local interface 334 include mechanisms that enable MNS330 to communicate with other computing devices and/or systems throughnetwork connections such as communication network 302 and communicationnetwork 304. Examples of network connections include any suitableconnections between computers, such as, for example intranets, localarea networks (LANs), virtual private networks (VPNs), wide areanetworks (WANs), the Internet, and the like. Examples of MNS memory 332include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flashmemory, and the like. Examples of MNS storage device 333 includemagnetic and/or optical recording medium, ferro-electric RAM (F-RAM)hard disks, solid-state drives, floppy disks, optical discs, and thelike. In one embodiment, MNS memory 332 store information andinstructions for execution by MNS processor 335. In yet anotherembodiment, MNS processor 335 include a microprocessor, an applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field programmable object array(FPOA), and the like. In these embodiments, MNS processor 335 interpretsand executes instructions retrieved from MNS memory 332 and MNS storagedevice 333.

In an example and referring to FIG. 1 Mobile Notification System 330implements the programmatic logic and/or rules associated with MobileNotification System 130, communication network 302 implements theprogrammatic logic and/or rules associated with communication network102, and communication network 304 implements the programmatic logicand/or rules associated with communication network 104 of system 100.Further to this example, mobile database 360 implements the programmaticlogic and/or rules associated with mobile database 160 of system 100.

Examples of these implementations include laptop computers, portablecomputers, tablet, PDAs, smartphones, cellular phones, and the like.Additional examples of these implementations include servers, authorizedcomputing devices, desktop computers, and other types ofprocessor-controlled device that may receive, process, transmit digitaldata, and the like. Additionally, MNS 330 may perform certain operationsthat are required for the proper operation of system 100. MNS 330 mayperform these operations in response to MNS processor 335 executingsoftware instructions contained in a computer-readable medium, such asMNS memory 332. Each MNS processor unit may be a component of computingdevices such as laptop computers, portable computers, tablets, PDAs,smartphones, cellular phones, or multiple mobile computers in adistributed configuration.

In some embodiments, the software instructions of MNS 330 are read intoMNS memory 332 from another memory location, such as MNS storage device333, or from another computing device via MNS local interface 334. Inthese embodiments, the software instructions contained within MNS memory332 cause MNS processor 335 to perform processes that will be describedin FIG. 12, below. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used inplace of or in combination with software instructions to implementprocesses described herein. Thus, implementations described herein arenot limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry andsoftware.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary wearable notification system computing device inwhich one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may operate,according to an embodiment. In FIG. 4, system 400 includes WearableNotification System (WNS) 440, and communication network 404. WNS 440further includes wearable database 470, WNS bus 441, WNS memory 442, WNSstorage device 443, WNS local interface 444, WNS processor 445, andinput/output (I/O) devices 446. In FIG. 4, I/O 446 additionally includesa plurality of I/O devices which are operatively coupled and inbi-directional communication with one another, such as, for example WNSvibration actuator 447, WNS speaker 448, WNS LED/display 449, and WNSsensors 450, among others. System 400 may include additional, fewer,different, or differently arranged components than those illustrated inFIG. 4.

In FIG. 4, WNS 440 is operatively coupled to and in bi-directionalcommunication with one or more wearable databases 470, and communicationnetwork 404. In these embodiments, WNS bus 441 is operatively coupledand in bi-directional communication with WNS I/O 446, WNS memory 442,WNS storage device 443, WNS local interface 444, and WNS processor 445.Further to these embodiments, WNS bus 441 includes a path that permitscomponents to communicate with one another.

Examples of WNS sensors 450 include voice biometrics sensors, heart ratebiometrics sensors, finger print biometric sensors, gesture sensors,accelerometers, and gyroscopic sensors, among other sensors capable oftransducing real world physics variables to electric signals and digitaldata. Additional examples of I/O 446 include peripherals and/or othermechanism that may enable a user to input information to WNS 440,including a keyboard, microphones, computer mice, buttons, touchscreens, and the like. Further examples of I/O 446 include mechanismsthat output information to the user of WNS 440, such as, for example adisplay, a printer, and the like.

Examples of WNS local interface 444 include mechanisms that enable WNS440 to communicate with other computing devices and/or systems throughnetwork connections such as communication network 404. Examples ofnetwork connections include any suitable connections between computers,such as, for example intranets, local area networks (LANs), virtualprivate networks (VPNs), wide area networks (WANs), the Internet, andthe like. Examples of WNS memory 442 include random access memory (RAM),read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, and the like. Examples of WNSstorage device 443 include magnetic and/or optical recording medium,ferro-electric RAM (F-RAM) hard disks, solid-state drives, floppy disks,optical discs, and the like. In one embodiment, WNS memory 442 storesinformation and instructions for execution by WNS processor 445. In yetanother embodiment, WNS processor 445 includes a microprocessor, anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field programmableobject array (FPOA), and the like. In these embodiments, WNS processor445 interprets and executes instructions retrieved from WNS memory 442and WNS storage device 443.

In an example and referring to FIG. 1 Wearable Notification System 440implements the programmatic logic and/or rules associated with WearableNotification System 140 of system 100, and communication network 404implements the programmatic logic and/or rules associated withcommunication network 104. Further to this example, wearable database470 implements the programmatic logic and/or rules associated withwearable database 170 of system 100.

Examples of these implementations include wearable computing devices,such as, for example smartphones, tablets, smart bands (e.g., Fitbit®),smartwatches, smart glasses (e.g., Google Glass®), and the like.Additional examples of these implementations include servers, authorizedcomputing devices, desktop computers, laptop computers, tabletcomputers, PDAs, and other type of processor-controlled device that mayreceive, process, transmit digital data, and the like. Additionally, WNS440 may perform certain operations that are required for the properoperation of system 100. Suitable WNS 440 may perform these operationsin response to WNS processor 445 executing software instructionscontained in a computer-readable medium, such as WNS memory 442. EachWNS processor unit may be a component of wearable computing devices suchas, for example smartphones, tablets, smart bands (e.g., Fitbit®),smartwatches, smart glasses, or multiple wearable computers in adistributed configuration.

In some embodiments, the software instructions of WNS 440 are read intoWNS memory 442 from another memory location, such as WNS storage device443, or from another computing device via WNS local interface 444. Inthis embodiment, the software instructions contained within WNS memory442 cause WNS processor 445 to perform processes that will be describedin FIGS. 13 and 14, below. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may beused in place of or in combination with software instructions toimplement processes described herein. Thus, implementations describedherein are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitryand software.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an exemplary subsystem of acharacterization module within a notification management system,according to an embodiment. In FIG. 5, subsystem 500 includesNotification Management System (NMS) 520, communication network 504,events database 550, and notification database 560. NMS 520 furtherincludes characterization module 590. It should be understood thatsubsystem 500 can include less components, more components, or differentcomponents depending on the desired analysis goals and that thecomponents may be arranged differently than illustrated in subsystem 500of FIG. 5.

In FIG. 5, communication network 502, events database 550, andnotification database 560 are operatively coupled to and incommunication with NMS 520 through a communication network. In anexample and referring to FIG. 1, communication network 502 functions insubstantially similar manner as communication network 102, eventsdatabase 550 functions in substantially similar manner as eventsdatabase 150, and notification database 560 functions in substantiallysimilar manner to notification database 160. Further to these examples,NMS 520 functions in a substantially similar manner as NMS 120 withinsystem 100.

In some embodiments, events database 550 includes a plurality of eventrecords that include relevant information pertaining to eventsassociated with a plurality of users, such as, for example, eventdetails 551, customer 552, agent 553, and response request 554, amongothers. Examples of information within event details 551 include eventidentifier, event type, notes related to the event, a short descriptionof the event, and a detailed description of the event, among others.Examples of information within response request 554 include a textstring to be displayed on the graphical user interface of a computingdevice when requesting the response, and a data type of the requestedresponse (e.g., text, numeric, and Boolean, among others) for use inproducing an agent response.

In some embodiments, notifications database 560 includes a plurality ofnotification records including relevant information pertaining tonotifications associated with and derived from event records withinevents database 550. In these embodiments, notification records includeevent identifier 561, event impact 562, notification identifier 563,notification description 564, notification urgency 565, notificationmessage 566, and agent response 567, among others. Examples of values atimpact 562 include “POSITIVE” and “NEGATIVE”, among others. Examples ofvalues at notification urgency 565 include “URGENT” and “NOT-URGENT”,among others. Examples of information at notification description 564include addressee, subject, and content, among others.

In an embodiment, values of event impact 562 and notification urgency565 are characterized using simple classifications relevant to agentresponse. In an embodiment, the notification system uses binaryclassification of impact (such as “POSITIVE”/“NEGATIVE”), and binaryclassification of notification urgency (“URGENT”/“NON-URGENT”). In anotification system in which these data are communicated via sensoralerts of wearable computing devices, these simple, relevant messageelements facilitate timely and effective agent recognition and response.In another embodiment, event impact 562 and notification urgency 565 (oreither of them) may be classified using a limited number of valuesgreater than two. In a further embodiment, event impact 562 andnotification urgency 565 (or either of them) may be classified using aplurality of numerical values.

In some embodiments, characterization module 590 is configured to createnotification identifier, description records, impact records, andurgency records based on events records. In these embodiments,characterization module 590 includes programmed logic that enablescharacterization module 590 to retrieve event details 551 from eventsdatabase 550, determine event impact 562, create an associatednotification identifier 561, create an associated notificationdescription 564, and determine notification urgency 565. Further tothese embodiments, characterization module further includes programmedlogic to store event identifier 561, event impact 562, notificationidentifier 563, notification description 564, and notification urgency565 within notification database 560. In an example, characterizationmodule 590 determines event impact 562 values and notification urgency565 values by employing fuzzy logic algorithms on event details 551. Inan additional example, characterization module 590 determines eventimpact 562 and notification urgency 565 by utilizing statisticalanalysis techniques on event details 551 and notifications descriptions564. In a further example, characterization module utilizes Naïve BayesFiltering to determine the probability of events and notifications beingof a determined impact and urgency respectively. In yet otherembodiments, users interact with MNS 520 to set event impact 562 andurgency 565 values.

In some embodiments, the characterization module 590 is implemented as aset of computer instructions executed by one or more NMS processor unitsthat run computer executable program instructions or related algorithms.Each NMS processor unit may be a component of computing devices such asa server, a single computer, or multiple computers in a distributedconfiguration. In an example, an NMS processor unit as described in FIG.2 can be implemented within the aforementioned computing devices.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary subsystem of a messagingmodule within a notification management system, according to anembodiment. In FIG. 6, subsystem 600 includes Notification ManagementSystem (NMS) 620, events database 650, notification database 660, andcommunication network 602. NMS 620 further includes messaging module692. It should be understood that subsystem 600 can include lesscomponents, more components, or different components depending on thedesired analysis goals and that the components may be arrangeddifferently than illustrated in subsystem 600 of FIG. 6.

In FIG. 6, communication network 602, events database 650, andnotification database 660 are operatively coupled to and incommunication with NMS 620 through a communication network, andmessaging module 692 is operatively coupled to and in communication withNMS 620 through a suitable communication network. In an example andreferring to FIG. 1, communication network 602 functions insubstantially similar manner as communication network 102, eventsdatabase 650 functions in substantially manner to events database 150,and notification database 660 functions in substantially similar manneras notification database 160 within system 100 respectively. Further tothese examples, NMS 620 functions in a substantially similar manner asNMS 120 within system 100.

In some embodiments, events database 650 includes a plurality of eventrecords that include relevant information pertaining to eventsassociated with a plurality of users, such as, for example, eventdetails 651, customer 652, agent 653, and response request 654, amongothers. Examples of information within event details 651 include eventidentifier, event type, notes related to the event, a short descriptionof the event, and a detailed description of the event, among others.Example of information within response request 654 include a text stringto be displayed on the graphical user interface of a computing devicewhen requesting the response, and a data type of the requested response(e.g., text, numeric, and Boolean, among others) for use in producing anagent response.

In some embodiments, notifications database 660 includes a plurality ofnotification records including relevant information pertaining tocharacterized notifications associated with and derived from eventrecords within events database 650. In these embodiments, notificationrecords include event identifier 661, event impact 662, notificationidentifier 663, notification description 664, notification urgency 664,and response collected 665, among others. Examples of values at eventimpact 662 include “POSITIVE” and “NEGATIVE”, among others. Examples ofvalues at notification urgency 664 include “URGENT” and “NOT-URGENT”,among others. Examples of information at notification description 564include addressee, subject, and content, among others.

In some embodiments, messaging module 692 is configured to create anotification message based on notification records and event records,embed some associated notification records and some event records withinthe notification message, store the created notification message withinnotification database 660, and send the created notification message toa Mobile Notification System (MNS) through communication network 602. Inan example, notification records embedded messaging module 692 includeassociated event impact, associated urgency, and associated responserequest, among others.

In some embodiments, messaging module 692 includes programmed logic toretrieve a plurality of records from notifications database 660, suchas, for example impact 662, notification description 664, and urgency665. In these embodiments, messaging module 692 includes programmedlogic to additionally retrieve response request 654 from events database650 and create a notification message from the records. Further to theseembodiments, messaging module includes programmed logic for embeddinginformation from urgency 665, impact 664, and response request 654within the created notification message.

In some embodiments, messaging module 692 includes programmed logic tostore the created notification message at notification message 666within notification database 660, and communicate the notificationmessage to the MNS through communication network 602. Examples ofnotification messages created by messaging module 692 include email,MMS, voice mail, and the like.

In some embodiments, messaging module 692 is implemented as a set ofcomputer instructions executed by one or more NMS processor units thatrun computer executable program instructions or related algorithms. EachNMS processor unit may be a component of computing devices such asservers, desktop computers, laptop computers, computers, tablets, PDAs,smartphones, cellular phones, or multiple mobile computers in adistributed configuration. In an example, an NMS processor unit asdescribed in FIG. 2 can be implemented within the aforementionedcomputing devices.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an exemplary subsystem of a security modulewithin a mobile notification system, according to an embodiment. In FIG.7, subsystem 700 includes Mobile Notification System (MNS) 730, mobiledatabase 770, communication network 702, and communication network 704.MNS 730 further includes security module 794. It should be understoodthat subsystem 700 can include less components, more components, ordifferent components depending on the desired analysis goals and thatthe components may be arranged differently than illustrated in subsystem700 of FIG. 7.

In FIG. 7, communication network 702, communication network 704, andmobile database 770 are operatively coupled to and in communication withMNS 730 through a communication network, and security module 794 isoperatively coupled to and in communication with MNS 730 through asuitable communication network. In an example and referring to FIG. 1,communication network 702, communication network 704, and mobiledatabase 770 function in substantially similar manner to communicationnetwork 102, communication network 104, and mobile database 170 withinsystem 100 respectively.

In some embodiments, mobile database 770 includes a plurality of mobilerecords. In these embodiments, the mobile records comprise mobile recorddata that includes notification message 771, agent response 774, agentbiometric data (i.e., confirmed biometric data) 775, and mobilenotification message 776, among others. Further to these embodiments,notification message 771 and mobile notification message 776 include aplurality of embedded notification records associated to thenotification messages, such as, for example, impact, urgency, andresponse request. In an example, and referring to FIG. 6, notificationmessage 771 is substantially similar to notification message 666 createdby messaging module 692.

Examples of values for urgency embedded within notification message 771and mobile notification message 776 include “URGENT” and “NOT-URGENT”,among others. Examples of values for impact embedded within notificationmessage 771 and mobile notification message 776 include “POSITIVE” and“NEGATIVE”, among others. Examples of agent biometric data 775 includebiometrics obtained by sensors on a wearable device which uniquelyidentify the agent, such as, fingerprint, heart rate, pulse, voice, irisimage, facial recognition, among others. In some embodiments, agentbiometric data 775 is biometric data which uniquely identify an agentauthorized to interact with MNS 730 and associated Wearable NotificationSystems (WNS). In these embodiments, agent biometric data 775 includesbiometric data, such as, for example fingerprint, heart rate, pulse,voice, iris image, facial recognition, among others.

In some embodiments, security module 794 is configured to retrievenotification message 771 from mobile database 770, create mobilenotification message 776, and communicate with a WNS throughcommunication network 704 to instruct the WNS to provide local biometricdata within the WNS to the MNS. In these embodiments, security module794 is configured to retrieve agent biometric data 775 from mobiledatabase 770. Further to these embodiments, security module 794 isconfigured to compare agent biometric data 775 with the local biometricdata, and communicate mobile notification message 776 to the WNS whensecurity module 794 finds a match between agent biometric data 775 andthe local biometric data.

In some embodiments, security module 794 is implemented as a set ofcomputer instructions executed by one or more MNS processor units thatrun computer executable program instructions or related algorithms. EachMNS processor unit may be a component of computing devices such as, forexample laptop computers, portable computers, tablets, PDAs,smartphones, cellular phones, and the like. Additional examples of theseimplementations include servers, authorized computing devices, desktopcomputers, and other type of processor-controlled device that mayreceive, process, transmit digital data, and the like. In an example, anMNS processor unit as described in FIG. 3 can be implemented within theaforementioned computing devices.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an exemplary subsystem of a sensors andalerts module within a wearable notification system, according to anembodiment. In FIG. 8, subsystem 800 includes Wearable NotificationSystem (WNS) 840, wearable database 880, and communication network 804.In FIG. 8, WNS 840 further includes sensors and alerts module 896. Itshould be understood that subsystem 800 can include less components,more components, or different components depending on the desiredanalysis goals and that the components may be arranged differently thanillustrated in subsystem 800 of FIG. 8.

In FIG. 8, communication network 804, and wearable database 880 areoperatively coupled to and in communication with WNS 840 through acommunication network, and sensors and alerts module 896 is operativelycoupled to and in communication with WNS 840 through a suitablecommunication network. In an example and referring to FIG. 1,communication network 804 and wearable database 880 function insubstantially similar manner to communication network 104 and wearabledatabase 180 within system 100 respectively.

In some embodiments, wearable database 880 includes a plurality ofwearable records. In these embodiments, the wearable records comprisewearable record data that includes mobile notification message 881,agent response 884, local biometric data 885, and sensory alerts presets886, among others.

Examples of values for urgency records embedded within mobilenotification message 881 include “URGENT” and “NOT-URGENT”, amongothers. Examples of values for impact embedded within mobilenotification message 881 include “POSITIVE” and “NEGATIVE”, amongothers. Examples of biometric data within local biometric data 885include fingerprint, heart rate, pulse, iris image, facial recognition,and voice, among others.

In some embodiments, sensors and alerts module is configured tocommunicate with a Mobile Notification System (MNS) to receive a mobilenotification message from the MNS. In these embodiments, sensors andalerts module 896 is configured to store the mobile notification messageat mobile notification message 881 within wearable database 880.

In some embodiments, sensors and alert module 896 is configured toretrieve sensory alerts presets 886 from wearable database 880, andcontrol vibration actuators, speakers, and LED/display devices withinWNS 840 to execute a combination of vibrating pulses, sound alerts, andlight alerts. In these embodiments, the combination of vibration pulses,sound, and light alerts corresponds to presets matching impact andurgency values embedded within mobile notification message 881.

In some embodiments, sensors and alerts module 896 controls a pluralityof WNS position sensors within WNS 840, to determine a spatial positionof WNS 840. Examples of WNS sensors include gesture sensors, gyroscopicsensors, accelerometers, and the like. In these embodiments, sensors andalerts module 896 waits for agent interaction, and displays infographicson WNS 840 when the agent moves WNS 840 to a position to view thedisplay of WNS 840.

In some embodiments, the sensors and alerts module 896 is implemented asa set of computer instructions executed by one or more WNS processorunits that run computer executable program instructions or relatedalgorithms. Each WNS processor unit may be a component of wearablecomputing devices, such as, for example smartphones, tablets, smartbands (e.g., Fitbit®), smartwatches, smart glasses (e.g., GoogleGlass®), and the like. Additional examples of these implementationsinclude servers, authorized computing devices, desktop computers, laptopcomputers, tablet computers, a PDAs, and other type ofprocessor-controlled device that may receive, process, transmit digitaldata, and the like. In an example, a WNS processor unit as described inFIG. 4 can be implemented within the aforementioned computing devices.

In some embodiments, sensors and alerts modules 896 is configured tointeract with one or more biometric sensors (not shown) of the WNS 840that obtain local biometric data 885 of an agent wearing a wearablecomputing device. In some embodiments, sensors and alerts module 896communicates with MNS 830 through communication network 804 and sendsover local biometrics 885. Examples of biometric sensors that may beassociated with wearable computing devices include voice sensors,fingerprint sensors, gesture sensors, iris scanners, heart rate sensors,among others. Examples of biometric data that may be sent to MNS 830 bysensors and alerts module 896 include fingerprint, heart rate, pulse,voice, iris image, facial recognition, among others.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an exemplary subsystem of a responsecollection module within a wearable notification system, according to anembodiment. In FIG. 9, subsystem 900 includes Wearable NotificationSystem (WNS) 940, wearable database 980, and communication network 904.WNS 940 further includes response collection module 998. It should beunderstood that subsystem 900 can include less components, morecomponents, or different components depending on the desired analysisgoals and that the components may be arranged differently thanillustrated in subsystem 900 of FIG. 9.

In FIG. 9, communication network 904 and wearable database 980 areoperatively coupled to and in communication with WNS 940 through acommunication network, and response collection module 998 is operativelycoupled to and in communication with WNS 940 through a suitablecommunication network. In an example and referring to FIG. 1,communication network 904 and wearable database 980 function insubstantially similar manner to communication network 104 and wearabledatabase 180 within system 100 respectively.

In some embodiments, wearable database 980 includes a plurality ofwearable records. In these embodiments, the wearable records comprisewearable record data that includes local biometric data 985, mobilenotification message 981, agent response 984, and sensory alerts presets986, among others. In these embodiments, mobile notification message 981includes embedded notification records, such as, for example associatedevent impact, associated urgency, and associated response request (alsoherein called event impact record, notification urgency record, andresponse request record within the embedded notification record).

Examples of urgency values embedded within mobile notification message981 include “URGENT” and “NOT-URGENT”, among others. Examples of impactvalues embedded within mobile notification message 981 include“POSITIVE” and “NEGATIVE”, among others. Examples of information withincurrent biometric data 985 include fingerprint, heart rate, pulse, irisimage, facial recognition, and voice, among others. Examples of localbiometric data include biometrics obtained by sensors on the WNS, whichuniquely identify a user currently wearing the WNS, such as fingerprint,heart rate, pulse, voice, iris image, facial recognition, among others.

In an embodiment, response collection module 998 is configured toextract the response request record from mobile notification message981, and processes the response request record to create a responserequest form for display on WNS 940. In some embodiments, responsecollection module 998 is configured to retrieve mobile notificationmessage 981 from wearable database 980, determine the type of responseto be requested from the agent, and create a form on the user interfaceof WNS 940 to produce an agent response. In these embodiments, responsecollection module 998 is configured to create the form including aplurality of user interface controls, such as, for example a labelcontrol, a textbox control, and a button control. In other embodiments,additional user interface controls included within the form, such as,for example combo box controls, list controls, option controls, and thelike.

In an example, the response collection module creates a web form on theuser interface of WNS 940 that includes a label control, a textboxcontrol, and a submit button control. In this example, responsecollection module 998 provides text to the label control informing theagent of the expected response, allows the agent to input text into thetextbox control, and retrieves the text within the text box when theagent submits the response by clicking/hitting/touching the submitbutton control displayed on the user interface of WNS 940. Examples oftext strings, data type, and the corresponding user interface controlsincluded within the form are further described in FIG. 17, below.

In some embodiments, response collection module 998 is configured tostore the agent response at agent response 984 within wearable database980 and communicate agent response 984 to a Mobile Notification System(MNS) through communication network 904. In these embodiments, the MNSstores the received agent response at an agent record within a mobiledatabase. Further to these embodiments, the MNS communicates the agentresponse record within the mobile database to a Notification ManagementSystem (NMS) through a communication network. In these embodiments, theNMS stores the agent response received from the MNS at an agent responserecord within a notifications database from which other systems canretrieve the agent response for further use.

In some embodiments, the response collection module 998 is implementedas a set of computer instructions executed by one or more WNS processorunits that run computer executable program instructions or relatedalgorithms. Each WNS processor unit may be a component of computingdevices such as smartphones, tablets, smart bands (e.g., Fitbit®),smartwatches, smart glasses (e.g., Google Glass®), and the like.Additional examples of these implementations include servers, authorizedcomputing devices, desktop computers, laptop computers, tabletcomputers, PDAs, and other type of processor-controlled device that mayreceive, process, transmit digital data, and the like. In an example, aWNS processor unit as described in FIG. 4 can be implemented within theaforementioned computing devices.

Process Flowchart for Notification Management System

In some embodiments, one or more computing devices perform a pluralityof processes that are part of a system for managing notifications ofevents relevant to users. While the blocks in the disclosed processesare shown in a particular order, the actual order may differ. In someembodiments, some steps may be performed in parallel.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for notifying relevantevents to users, according to an embodiment. Said method may be executedwithin system hardware and software architectures as described in FIGS.1 to 9, above.

In FIG. 10, the method 1000 starts at step 1002. At step 1002, method1000 characterizes notifications. In some embodiments, a NotificationManagement System (NMS) loads a characterization module from NMS memoryinto an NMS processor, which causes the NMS processor to performprocesses described herein.

In some embodiments, the characterization module instructs the NMSprocessor to retrieve event details, associated customer, associatedagent, and response request from an events database. In theseembodiments, the characterization module instructs the NMS processor todetermine the event impact, create an associated notificationidentifier, create an associated notification description, and determinethe notification urgency. Further to these embodiments, thecharacterization module instructs the NMS processor to store an eventidentifier, event impact, notification identifier, notificationdescription, and notification urgency within a notification database.

In an example, the characterization module instructs the NMS processorto determine the event impact and notification urgency by employingfuzzy logic algorithms on the event details. In an additional example,the characterization module determines the event impact and notificationurgency by utilizing statistical analysis techniques on event detailsand notifications descriptions. In a further example, characterizationmodule utilizes Naïve Bayes Filtering to determine the probability ofevents and notifications being of a determined impact and urgencyrespectively. In yet other embodiments, the characterization moduleinstructs the NMS processor to interact with authorized users to allowthe authorized users to manually set the event impact and notificationurgency values. In various embodiments, the authorized users areemployees of an company.

In an example, when events within the events database include a specificclient approval, a specific paid premium, and a specific successfulsubmission of business, the characterization module instructs the NMSprocessor to set urgency to “URGENT” and impact to “POSITIVE.” Inanother example, when events within the events database include anyapproval, any paid premium, or any successful submission of business,among others, the characterization module instructs the NMS processor toset urgency to “NOT-URGENT”, and impact to “POSITIVE.” In a furtherexample, when events within the events database include delay inprocessing, incomplete information, failed attempt, and declinedrequest, the characterization module instructs the NMS processor to seturgency to “NOT-URGENT” and impact to “NEGATIVE.” In yet anotherexample, when events within the events database includes actionrequired, failure, any refusal, or rejection, the characterizationmodule instructs the NMS processor to set urgency to “URGENT” and impactto “NEGATIVE.” Step 1002 is further discussed in FIG. 11, below. Method1000 then advances to step 1004.

At step 1004, method 1000 communicates notification messages to agents.In some embodiments, at step 1004, the NMS loads a messaging module fromNMS memory into an NMS processor, which causes the NMS processor toperform processes described herein.

In some embodiments, the messaging module instructs the NMS processor tocreate a notification message and send the notification messages to aMobile Notification System (MNS). In these embodiments, the messagingmodule instructs the NMS processor to retrieve a plurality of recordsfrom a notifications database. Examples of records retrieved by the NMSprocessor include impact, notification description, and urgency. Furtherto these embodiments, the messaging module instructs the NMS processorto create a notification message from the records and communicate thenotification message to the MNS through a communication network.Examples of notification message formats created by the NMS processorinclude email, MIMS, voice mail, and the like. Step 1004 is furtherdiscussed in FIG. 12, below. Step 1004 is further discussed in FIG. 12,below. Method 1000 then advances to step 1006.

At step 1006, method 1000 authenticates agents. In some embodiments, aMobile Notification System (MNS) loads a security module from MNS memoryinto an MNS processor, which causes the MNS processor to performprocesses described herein.

In some embodiments, the security module instructs the MNS processor todetermine when an authorized agent is currently wearing a wearabledevice including a Wearable Notification System (WNS). In theseembodiments, the security module instructs the MNS processor to retrievea notification message from a mobile database and create a mobilenotification message based on the retrieved notification message andembed within the mobile notification message the associated urgency,associated impact, and associated response request records. Further tothese embodiments, the security module instructs the MNS processor tocommunicate with the WNS through a communication network to retrieve thelocal biometric data from the WNS.

In some embodiments, a plurality of WNS sensors within the WNS determinethe local biometric data. In these embodiments, the security moduleinstructs the MNS processor to retrieve agent biometric data from amobile database. Further to these embodiments, the security moduleinstructs the MNS processor to compare the agent biometric data with thelocal biometric data, and communicate the mobile notification message tothe WNS when the MNS processor determines there is a match between theagent biometric data and the local biometric data.

Step 1006 is further discussed in FIG. 13, below. Method 1000 thenadvances to step 1008.

At step 1008, method 1000 change a functional behavior on a wearabledevice by activating and executing sensory alerts on a wearable deviceincluding a WNS. In some embodiments, at step 1008, a WNS loads asensors and alerts module from WNS memory into a WNS processor, whichcauses the WNS processor to perform processes described herein.

In these embodiments, the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNSprocessor to communicate with a MNS to receive a mobile notificationmessage through short-range communication networks. Examples ofshort-range communication networks that the WNS processor uses tocommunicate include infrared communications, Bluetooth, ZigBee, and thelike. In other embodiments, the sensors and alerts module instructs theWNS processor to communicate with the MNS through mid-range andlong-range communication networks. Examples of mid-range and long-rangecommunications networks include Wi-Fi, WiMAX, GPRS, the Internet, andthe like.

Examples of information and values for urgency embedded within themobile notification message received from the MNS processor include“URGENT” and “NOT-URGENT”, among others. Examples of information andvalues for impact embedded within the mobile notification message sentby the MNS processor include “POSITIVE” and “NEGATIVE”, among others.

Examples of information within agent biometric data sent to the MNS fromthe WNS processor include fingerprint, heart rate, pulse, voice, irisimage, facial recognition, among others.

In some embodiments, the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNSprocessor to extract impact and urgency values from the mobilenotification message received from the MNS. In these embodiments, thesensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processor to controlvibration actuators, speakers, and LED/display devices within the WNS toplay sensory alerts on the WNS upon matching the extracted impact andurgency values to sensory alerts presets. Further to these embodiments,the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processor to wait foragent interaction, and display infographics on the wearable device whenthe agent moves the WNS to a position to view the display of the WNS.Step 1008 is further discussed in FIG. 14, below. Method 1000 thenadvances to step 1010.

At step 1010, method 1000 collects agent responses to notificationmessages. In some embodiments, at step 1010, a Wearable NotificationSystem (WNS) loads a response collection module from WNS memory into aWNS processor, which causes the WNS processor to perform processesdescribed herein.

In some embodiments, the response collection module instructs the WNSprocessor to retrieve a mobile notification message from a wearabledatabase, extract a response request record from the mobile notificationmessage, and creates a form to request a response from the agent, basedon the extracted response request record. In these embodiments, theresponse collection module presents the form to the agent, collects anagent response, and communicates the agent response to a MobileNotification System (MNS).

In some embodiments, the response collection module instructs the WNSprocessor to retrieve a notification message from a wearable database,and extract a response request record from the mobile notificationmessage. In these embodiments, the response collection module instructsthe WNS processor to determine a text string to display and a data typerequest from the agent, based on the response request record and createa form based on the text string and the data type request. Further tothese embodiments, the response collection module instructs the WNSprocessor to display the form on the user interface of the WNS tocollect an agent response. In an example, the WNS processor creates aninput box on the user interface of the WNS to produce a response fromthe agent.

In some embodiments, the response collection module instructs the WNSprocessor to collect the agent response from the displayed form, storethe agent response at an agent record within the wearable database, andcommunicate with the MNS to send the agent response record to the MNS.In some embodiments, the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNSprocessor to communicate with the MNS through short-range communicationnetworks. Examples of short-range communication networks includeBluetooth, ZigBee, infrared communications, and the like. In otherembodiments, the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processorto communicate with the MNS through mid-range and long-rangecommunication networks. Example of mid-range and long-rangecommunications networks include Wi-Fi, WiMAX, GPRS, the Internet, andthe like.

In some embodiments, the MNS stores the agent response at an agentresponse record within a mobile database. In these embodiments, the MNScommunicates the agent response record within the mobile database to aNMS through a communication network. Further to these embodiments, theNMS stores the agent response received from the MNS at an agent responserecord within a notifications database. Step 1010 is further discussedin FIG. 15, below. Method 1000 ends.

By executing method 1000 using the exemplary operating environmentsdescribed in FIGS. 1-9, efficiencies are created by providing companieswith methods to automatically notify relevant events to users; alert theusers about incoming notifications and collect responses from the userswhen the originating events require a response from the users. Automatednotifications, notification alerts, and response collections allowcompanies to perform large amounts of work in large data sets in anefficient manner while avoiding time-consuming analysis that comes frommanual work performed only by humans.

The processes described herein may be executed employing one or morecomputing devices, running associated software, of the system describedin FIGS. 1-9. The process allows the associated applications of theNotification Management System, the Mobile Notification System, and theWearable Notification System to quickly process large data sets. TheNotification Management System, the Mobile Notification System, and theWearable Notification System allow an company to provide notice ofrelevant events to users with minimum distraction and in a timelymanner. The Notification Management System, the Mobile NotificationSystem, and the Wearable Notification System further allow the users torespond in a timely manner using an automated more efficient method thanis currently possible employing human-intervention data-driven analysis.In this way, efficiencies are created by providing the carrier with waysto improve productivity and create more favorable customerrelationships.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for characterizingnotifications according to level of urgency and impact, according to anembodiment. Said method may be executed in system hardware and softwarearchitectures as described in FIGS. 1-9. In these embodiments, aNotification Management System (NMS) loads an employee aggregationmodule from NMS memory into an NMS processor, which causes the NMSprocessor to perform processes described herein. In an example andreferring to FIG. 10, method 1100 implements the programmatic logicand/or rules associated with step 1002 in method 1000, above.

Method 1100 starts at step 1102. In some embodiments, thecharacterization module instructs the NMS processor to retrieve an eventrecords from an events database. In one embodiment, the event databasecomprises of uncategorized event records. The event record retrieved bythe NMS processor from the events database in response to theinstruction from the characterization module is uncategorized eventrecord. In these embodiments, the characterization module instructs theNMS processor to retrieve events details, associated customer,associated agent, and response request from an events database. Method1100 then advances to step 1104.

At step 1104, the characterization module instructs the NMS processor tocharacterize the event impact. In some embodiments, the characterizationmodule instructs the NMS processor to set event impact value to“POSITIVE” or “NEGATIVE”, among others. In these embodiments, the NMSprocessor sets the event to “POSITIVE” when events include any approval,paid premium, successful submission of business, specific clientapproval, specific paid premium, specific successful submission ofbusiness, and the like. Further to these embodiments, the NMS processorsets the event to “NEGATIVE” when events include any delay inprocessing, incomplete information, failed attempt in processing arequest, declined request, action required, failure in processing arequest, refusal to process a request, rejection of request, and thelike. In some embodiments, the characterization module instructs the NMSprocessor to set a plurality of numbers as the determined event impact.

In some embodiments, the characterization module instructs the NMSprocessor to determine the event impact by utilizing fuzzy logicalgorithms on the event details. In other embodiments, thecharacterization module instructs the NMS processor to determine theevent impact by utilizing statistical analysis techniques on eventsdetails. In an example, the characterization module instructs the NMSprocessor to utilize Naïve Bayes Filtering to determine the probabilityof events being of a determined impact. In other embodiments, thecharacterization module instructs the NMS processor to interact withusers to allow users to set the event's impact. Method 1100 thenadvances to step 1106.

At step 1106, the characterization module instructs the NMS processor tocreate a notification description. In some embodiments, thecharacterization module instructs the NMS processor to create anotification description record within the notifications database. Insome embodiments, the characterization module instructs the NMSprocessor to create the notification description record based on theevents details, associated customer, associated agent, and responserequest records retrieved from the events database at step 1102. Method1100 then advances to step 1108.

At step 1108, the characterization module instructs the NMS processor tocharacterize a notification urgency. In these embodiments, thecharacterization module instructs the NMS processor to determine thenotification urgency as either “URGENT” or “NOT-URGENT.” In otherembodiments, the characterization module instructs the NMS processor toset a plurality of numbers as the determined notification urgency.

In some embodiments, the characterization module instructs the NMSprocessor to set the urgency value to “URGENT” when events includespecific client approval, specific paid premium, specific successfulsubmission of business, action required, failure in processing arequest, refusal to process a request, rejection of request, and thelike. In these embodiments, the characterization module instructs theNMS processor to set the urgency value to “NOT-URGENT” when eventnotifications include any approval, any paid premium, any successfulsubmission of business, delay in processing, incomplete information,failed attempt at processing a request, declined request, and the like.

In some embodiments, the characterization module instructs the NMSprocessor to determine the notification urgency by utilizing statisticalanalysis techniques on events details and notifications descriptions. Inthese embodiments, the characterization module instructs the NMSprocessor to utilize Naïve Bayes Filtering to determine the probabilityof notifications having a determined impact. Further to theseembodiments, the characterization module instructs the NMS processor tointeract with users to allow the users to set the notification urgency.Method 1100 then advances to step 1110.

At step 1110, the characterization module generates an instruction thatinstructs the NMS processor to store notification records. In someembodiments, the characterization module instructs the NMS processor tostore records produced at steps 1104, 1106, and 1108 within thenotification database. Notification records stored by the NMS processorwithin the notification database include event impact, notificationdescription, and notification urgency, among others. In theseembodiments, the NMS processor stores additional notification records,such as, for example event identifier and notification identifier withinthe notifications database. Method 1100 ends.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for communicatingnotification messages to users, according to an embodiment. In someembodiments, this method may be executed within a system includinghardware and software architectures as described in FIGS. 1-9. In theseembodiments, a Notification Management System (NMS) processor loads amessaging module from NMS memory into an NMS processor, which causes theNMS processor to perform processes described herein. In an example andreferring to FIG. 10, method 1200 implements the programmatic logicand/or rules associated with step 1004 of method 1000.

Method 1200 begins at step 1202. At step 1202, the messaging moduleinstructs the NMS processor to retrieve a notification records from anotification database. In some embodiments, the messaging moduleinstructs the NMS processor to retrieve notification records from anotifications database, such as, for example the notification recordsstored in the notification database at step 1110 of Method 1100 of FIG.11. In an example, the messaging module instructs the NMS processor toretrieve notification records, such as, notification description,response request, associated impact, and associated urgency from thenotification database. Method 1200 continues to step 1204.

At step 1204, the messaging module instructs the NMS processor to createa notification message. In some embodiments, the messaging moduleinstructs the NMS processor to create the notification message based oninformation within the notification records retrieved from thenotifications database at step 1202. In these embodiments, the messagingmodule includes information from the characterized notification withinthe notification message. Examples of information embedded within thecreate notification message include event impact, notification urgency,and response request information, among others. Method 1200 thenadvances to step 1206.

At step 1206, the messaging module instructs the NMS processor to sendthe notification message to an agent. In some embodiments, the messagingmodule instructs the NMS processor to send a signal to a MobileNotification System (MNS) to send the notification message, created bythe NMS at step 1204, to the MNS. In these embodiments, the MNS storesthe received notification message at a notification message recordswithin a mobile database. Examples of notification messages sent by theNMS processor to the MNS include email, MMS, voice mail, and the like.Method 1200 then advances to step 1208.

At step 1208, the messaging module instructs the NMS processor to checkfor responses received from the MNS. If the NMS receives a response fromthe MNS, method 1200 advances to step 1210. If the NMS does not receivea response from the MNS, method 1200 ends.

At step 1210, the messaging module instructs the NMS processor to storethe received response. In some embodiments, the messaging moduleinstructs the NMS processor to store the received response at an agentresponse record within the notifications database. In these embodiments,the received response is an agent response received by the MNS andcollected by a WNS by interacting with an authorized agent using awearable device including the WNS. Method 1200 ends.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for determining if awearable computing device including a wearable notification system isauthorized to receive a notification message, according to anembodiment. Said method may be executed within a system includinghardware and software architectures as described in FIGS. 1-9. In theseembodiments, a Mobile Notification System (MNS) processor loads asecurity module from MNS memory into an MNS processor, which causes theMNS processor to perform processes described herein. In someembodiments, the security module instructs the MNS processor to executecode that determines if an agent currently wearing a computing deviceincluding a Wearable Notification System (WNS) is authorized to receivea notification message. In some embodiments, the security moduleinstructs the MNS processor to execute Method 1300 for everynotification message sent to the WNS. In other embodiments, a securitymodule within the WNS instructs a WNS processor to execute method 1300each time a person wears a wearable computing device including the WNS,and deactivates the WNS whenever an unauthorized user is using thewearable computing device. In an example and referring to FIG. 10,method 1300 is implemented as step 1006 in method 1000.

Method 1300 begins at step 1302. In some embodiments, the securitymodule instructs the MNS processor to retrieve a notification messagefrom a mobile database. In these embodiments, the notification messageretrieved by the MNS processor includes embedded notification records,such as, for example impact, urgency, and response requested, amongothers. In an example, and referring to FIG. 12, the notificationmessage stored within the mobile database is substantially similar tothe notification message sent from a NMS to an MNS as detailed at step1206. Method 1300 then advances to step 1304.

At step 1304, the security module instructs the MNS processor to createa mobile notification message. In some embodiments, the security moduleinstructs the MNS processor to create a mobile notification messagebased on a notification message, such as for example the notificationmessage retrieved by the security module at step 1302. In theseembodiments, the security module instructs the MNS processor to extractimpact, urgency and response request values embedded within thenotification message and create a mobile notification message based onthe notification message and extracted notification records. Further tothese embodiments, the security module instructs the MNS processor toembed within the mobile notification message, the extracted impact,urgency, and response request records.

In some embodiments, the security module instructs the MNS processor tostore the mobile notification message within the mobile database. Inthese embodiments, the mobile notification message created by the MNSprocessor is substantially similar to the notification message retrievedby MNS processor at step 1302. Method 1300 then advances to step 1306.

At step 1306, the security module instructs the MNS processor to requestlocal biometric data from a WNS. In some embodiments, the securitymodule instructs the MNS processor to send a signal to WNS through acommunication network to request the WNS to provide local biometric datato the MNS.

In some embodiments, a sensors and alerts module within the WNSretrieves the local biometric data from a wearable database. In otherembodiments, the sensors and alerts module retrieves the local biometricdata from a plurality of WNS sensors within the WNS, which determine thelocal biometric data. In an example and referring to FIGS. 4 and 7, aWNS such as WNS 440 retrieves local pulse rate biometric data fromsensors 449 and communicates the retrieved pulse rate biometric data toMNS 730, over communication network 404 in response to the MNSrequesting the local biometric data within the WNS. Additional examplesof biometric data requested by the MNS processor include fingerprint,heart rate, voice, iris image, facial recognition, among others. Method1300 then advances to step 1308.

At step 1308, the security module instructs the MNS processor toretrieve agent biometric data (i.e., confirmed biometric data) from amobile database. In these embodiments, the security module instructs theMNS processor to retrieve agent biometric data from the mobile database.Examples of agent biometric data retrieved by the MNS processor from themobile database include fingerprint, heart rate, pulse, voice, irisimage, facial recognition, among others. In some embodiments, the agentbiometric data retrieved from the mobile database includes biometricdata associated to an authorized agent and registered in the mobiledatabase as a security measure to avoid sending notification messages topeople other than the authorized agent. Method 1300 then advances tostep 1310.

At step 1310, the security module instructs the MNS processor to checkfor a match between the agent biometric data and the local biometricdata. If the agent biometric data and the local biometric data match,method 1300 then advances to step 1312.

At step 1312, the security module instructs the MNS processor to send amobile notification message to the wearable device including the WNS. Insome embodiments, the security module instructs the MNS processor tosend a signal to the WNS to send the mobile notification message createdby the MNS processor at step 1304. Examples of mobile notificationmessages created and sent by the security module to the WNS includeemail, MMS, voice mail, and the like. Method 1300 ends.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for alerting an authorizedagent of relevant notification messages, according to an embodiment.Said method may be executed within a system including hardware andsoftware architectures as described in FIGS. 1-9. In these embodiments,a Wearable Notification System (WNS) processor loads a sensors andalerts module from WNS memory into a WNS processor, which causes the WNSprocessor to perform processes described herein. In some embodiments,the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processor to executecode that alerts an agent of relevant notification messages. In anexample and referring to FIG. 10, method 1400 implements theprogrammatic logic and/or rules associated with step 1008 in method1000.

Method 1400 begins at step 1402. In some embodiments, the sensors andalerts module instructs the WNS processor to receive a mobilenotification message. In these embodiments, the sensors and alertsmodule instructs the WNS processor to communicate with a MobileNotification System (MNS), and receive a mobile notification messageincluding embedded notification records from the MNS. Examples ofnotification records embedded within the mobile notification message andreceived from the MNS include impact, and urgency. In an example andreferring to FIG. 1, a MNS such as MNS 130 sends a signal to a WNS suchas WNS 140 to send a mobile communication message from MNS 130 to WNS140.

In some embodiments, the MNS initiates the request to have the WNSreceive the notification message. In these embodiments, the MNS performsa security check, such as the security check detailed in Method 1200,before sending the notification message to the WNS to avoid sendingnotification messages to a wearable computing device worn by peopleother than an authorized agent.

In some embodiments, the WNS performs a security check substantiallysimilar to the security check detailed in method 1200 to avoiddisplaying notification messages on a wearable computing device worn bypeople other than the authorized agent. Method 1400 then advances tostep 1404.

At step 1404, the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processorto store the mobile notification message. In some embodiments, thesensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processor to store themobile notification message along with impact and urgency records in awearable database. Method 1400 then advances to step 1406.

At step 1406, the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processorto retrieve sensory alerts presets from the wearable database. In someembodiments, the sensors and alerts modules instructs the WNS processorto extract impact and urgency values from the records within the mobilenotification message. Further to these embodiments, the sensors andalerts module instructs the WNS processor to retrieve a plurality ofsensory alerts presets from a wearable database. In these embodiments,sensory alerts presets are a collection of available orthogonal tripleredundant sensory alerts with alerting an agent to a notificationmessage. Examples of sensory alerts presets include presets for therepeat rate and intensity of vibrating pulses, repeat rate and pitch ofbeeps of sound, and repeat rate and color of blinks of light, that anassociated wearable device executes based on the received urgency andimpact records. Method 1400 then advances to step 1408.

At step 1408, the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processorto check if the incoming notification message requires sensory alerts.In some embodiments, if the WNS processor checks whether the impact andurgency values extracted from the mobile notification message matchesany of the sensory alert preset retrieved from the wearable database atstep 1406. If the impact and urgency values have matching sensory alertspresets, method 1400 advances to step 1410. If the impact and urgencyvalues do not have matching alerts presets, method 1400 ends.

At step 1410, when the impact and urgency values have matching sensoryalerts presets, the WNS processor of the wearable device modifies thefunctional behavior of the wearable device. In an embodiment, thesensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processor to execute sensoryalerts on the WNS device.

In some embodiments, the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNSprocessor to control vibration actuators, sound actuators, andLED/display actuators to execute a combination of vibrating pulses,sound alerts, and light alerts on the WNS device. An example of sensoryalerts executed by the WNS processor include two beeps per second oflow-pitch audible sound, two vibrating pulses per second, and one greenlight blink per second for urgent and positive alerts. Another exampleof sensory alerts executed by the WNS processor include one beep persecond of low-pitch sound, one vibrating pulse per second, and one greenlight blink per second for negative and non-urgent alerts. A furtherexample of sensory alerts executed by the WNS processor include one beepper second of high-pitch audible sound, one vibrating pulse per second,and one red light blink per second for negative non-urgent alerts. Yetanother example of sensory alerts executed by the WNS processor includetwo beeps per second of high-pitch sound, two vibrating pulses persecond, and two red light blinks per second for negative and urgentalerts. In an example and referring to FIG. 4, the sensors and alertsmodule instructs WNS processor 445 to control a plurality of deviceswithin I/O 446, such as, for example vibration actuator 446, speaker447, and LED/display 448 to execute a combination of vibrating pulses,sound, and light alerts on WNS 440. In these embodiments, the WNSprocessor controls the I/O devices to execute the vibrating pulses,sound alerts, and light alerts at the same time, consecutive to oneanother, or at different times. Method 1400 then advances to step 1412.

At step 1412, the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processorto check if the user moved the wearable device into a position to viewthe WNS display. In some embodiments, the WNS processor interacts withWNS sensors included in the WNS, including gesture sensors, gyroscopicsensors, accelerometers, and the like, to obtain position data for theWNS. If the WNS processor determines the used moved the WNS to view thedisplay of the WNS, method 1400 then advances to step 1414. In anexample and referring to FIG. 4, a WNS processor 445 instructs WNSsensors 450 to provide gyroscope data, gesture sensors data, andaccelerometer data, among others. Further to this example WNS processor445 determine a position of WNS 440 based on the data provided by WNSsensors 450.

At step 1414, the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processorto display infographics on the display of the WNS. In some embodiments,the sensors and alerts module instructs the WNS processor to displayinfographics including icons on the WNS display, which allow the agentto easily recognize notification messages and associated responserequest from the message without having the agent read the content ofthe message. Method 1400 ends.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for collecting responsesto notification messages from authorized users, according to anembodiment. This method may be executed within a system includinghardware and software architectures as described in FIGS. 1-9. In theseembodiments, a Wearable Notification System (WNS) processor loads aresponse collection module from WNS memory into a WNS processor, whichcauses the WNS processor to perform processes described herein. Furtherto these embodiments, the WNS executes a security check, such as, forexample the security check detailed in Method 1200, to avoid interactingwith people other than an agent authorized to receive mobilenotification messages. In an example and referring to FIG. 10, method1500 implements the programmatic logic and/or rules associated with step1010 in method 1000.

Method 1500 begins at step 1502. At step 1502, the response collectionmodule instructs the WNS processor to retrieve a notification message.In some embodiments, the response collection module instructs the WNSprocessor to retrieve a mobile notification message from a wearabledatabase. In these embodiments, the mobile notification message includesembedded notification records, such as, for example impact, urgency, andresponse request records, among others. In these embodiments, theresponse request records include a text string to display and a datatype to request from the agent. Method 1500 advances to step 1504.

At step 1504, the response collection module instructs the WNS processorto extract response request records. In some embodiments, the responsecollection module instructs the WNS processor to extract responserequest records embedded within the mobile notification message. In someembodiments, request response records include response request textstrings and response request data types.

In some embodiments, the response request records included within themobile notification message are part of the mobile notification messageformat, which the response collection module parses to extract theresponse request records. In an example, the response collection moduleinstructs the WNS processor to determine response request records valuesfrom headers within a mobile notification message in email formatcompliant with RFC 2047, 4021, and the like. Examples of text stringsvalues includes “NEW BUSINESS SUCCESSFULLY SUBMITTED”, and “PLEASEPROVIDE D.O.B FOR CASE 9991”, among others. Examples of data type valuesassociated to the exemplary text strings include “NULL” and “DATETIME”among others. Additional examples of text strings values, and data typesvalues determined by the response collection module and embedded withina mobile notification message are further described in FIG. 17, below.Method 1500 then advances to step 1506.

At step 1506, the response collection module instructs the WNS processorto create a form based on response request records values. In someembodiments, the response collection module instructs the WNS processorto create a form based on the text string and the data type values.

In some embodiments, the response collection module instructs the WNSprocessor to include the text string value within a label in the form.In these embodiments, the response collection module instructs the WNSprocessor to include an input control within the form based on the datatype value. In an example, the response collection module instructs theWNS processor to include a textbox control within the form when the datatype value includes “DATETIME”, “TEXT”, “NUMBER”, among others. Inanother example, the response collection module instructs the WNSprocessor to include a checkbox control within the form when the datatype values includes “YES/NO”, and “TRUE/FALSE.”

In other embodiments, the mobile notification message includesadditional embedded notification records, such as, for examplenotification date, event date, event type, customer type, product type,and the like. In these embodiments, the response collection moduleinstructs the WNS processor to create a form based on the responserequest records values and the additional notification records valuesembedded within the mobile notification message. Method 1500 thenadvances to step 1508.

At step 1508, the response collection module instructs the WNS processorto collect a response from the authorized agent. In some embodiments,the response collection module instructs the WNS processor to display aform, such as the form created at step 1506, and collect a response fromthe agent. In these embodiments, the response collection moduleinstructs the WNS processor to interact with the authorized agent bydisplaying a form on the user interface of a wearable computing deviceworn by the authorized agent. Further to these embodiments, the wearablecomputing device worn by the authorized agent includes the WNS. In anexample, the response collection module displays an input box on theuser interface of the wearable computing device to collect a text stringresponse from the agent. Examples of responses requested from the agentincludes text, numbers, and Boolean responses (e.g., “yes/no” or“TRUE/FALSE”).

In some embodiments, the response collection module instructs the WNSprocessor to store the agent response at an agent response record withinthe wearable database after receiving a response from the agentinteracting with the form displayed on the user interface of the WNS.

In some embodiments, responses executed by users are actions that do notrequire interaction with the form. Examples of actions that do notrequire the agent to interact with the form include retrieving customerrecords, calling an underwriter over the phone, calling a customer overthe phone, scheduling customer visits, and following up on sales leads,among others.

In some embodiments, the response collection module utilizes voicerecognition to receive input from the authorized agent. In an example,the authorized agent replies to a response request by speaking “NO” intoa microphone within the WNS upon which the WNS acknowledges the “NO” asan answer to the response request. In another example, the authorizedagent may dismiss a mobile notification message by speaking “DISMISS”into a microphone within the WNS upon which the WNS removes thenotification from the WNS display. In a further example, the authorizedagent calls the customer associated to the mobile notification messageby speaking “CALL CUSTOMER JOHN DOE” into a microphone within the WNSupon which the WNS dials customer number “JOHN DOE” from the mobiledevice. In yet another example, an authorized agent establishes voiceshortcuts, such as, for example “CLIENTJAN01” which enables theauthorized agent to retrieve “JOHN DOE” contact records from the WNS, byspeaking “CLIENTJAN01” into a microphone within the WNS.

In some embodiments, the response collection module collects responsesfrom the authorized agent by analyzing gestures interpreted by WNSsensors on the WNS. In an example, the authorized agent dismisses anotification message by flipping the WNS to a position in which theauthorized agent is not viewing the WNS display.

Method 1500 then advances to step 1510.

At step 1510, the response collection module instructs the WNS processorto communicate the agent response to a Mobile Notification System (MNS).

In some embodiments, the response collection module instructs the WNSprocessor to send a signal through to the MNS to send the agent responseto the MNS. In some embodiments, the WNS utilizes short-range networksto send the signal to the MNS. In other embodiments, the WNS utilizesmid-range and long-range communication networks to send the signal tothe MNS. Examples of short-range communication networks that the WNSprocessor utilizes to send the signal to the MNS include Bluetooth,ZigBee, infrared communications, and the like. Example of mid-range andlong-range communications networks that the WNS processor utilizes tosend the signal to the MNS include Wi-Fi, WiMAX, GPRS, the Internet, andthe like.

In some embodiments, the MNS stores the agent response at an agentresponse record within a mobile database. In these embodiments, the MNScommunicates the agent record within the mobile database to aNotification Management System (NMS). Further to these embodiments, theNMS stores the received agent response at an agent response recordwithin a notifications database for further use.

FIG. 16 is a table of exemplary data including sensory alerts presets,according to an embodiment.

In FIG. 16, table 1600 includes AUDIBLE, VIBRATION, and VISUAL columnsthat include combinations of orthogonal triple redundant stimuli orsensory alerts, which a Wearable Notification System (WNS) executes toalert users about notification messages of varied impact and urgency. Insome embodiments, the WNS interacts with users to set a plurality ofprofiles for the sensory alerts presets. In these embodiments, the WNSsets profiles for a plurality of types of situations the agent may be inand the preferred way in which the agent wants to be alerted in thosesituations, such as profiles for when the agent is in meetings, profilesfor when the agent is driving, and profiles for specific times of theday, among others. The WNS may include a user interface that enables theagent to indicate when the agent is in a particular situation that mayaffect desired execution of sensory alerts (in the present disclosure,sometimes called “applicable agent situation”), e.g., in a meeting ordriving.

In FIG. 16, examples of sensory alerts presets include presets for“URGENT NEGATIVE”, “NEGATIVE”, “URGENT POSITIVE” and “POSITIVE.” Asshown in FIG. 16, examples of sensory alerts presets for “URGENTPOSITIVE” notification messages include two beeps per second oflow-pitch audible sound, two vibrating pulses per second, and one greenlight blink per second. Additional examples for sensory alerts presetsfor “NEGATIVE” notification messages include one beep per second oflow-pitch sound, one vibrating pulse per second, and one green lightblink per second. Further example of sensory alerts presets for“NEGATIVE” notification messages include one beep per second ofhigh-pitch audible sound, one vibrating pulse per second, and one redlight blink per second. Yet another example of sensory alerts presetsfor “URGENT NEGATIVE” notification messages include two beeps per secondof high-pitch sound, two vibrating pulses per second, and two red lightblinks per second.

FIG. 17 is a table of exemplary data including text strings, responsedata type, input control type, and button type, according to anembodiment. In FIG. 17, table 1700 includes a response data type, aninput control type, and a button type associated with each text string.

In some embodiments, each mobile notification message includes aresponse request that further includes text string values and data typevalues. In an example and referring to FIG. 15, response requests areextracted by a response collection module at step 1504 of Method 1500.

In some embodiments, text string values communicate a message to theagent and data type values identify the types of data the agent isrequested to provide.

In these embodiments, input control type and button type values areexamples of controls associated with the response data type and producedby a response collection module. In an example and referring to FIG. 15,response data type are produced by a response collection module at step1506 of Method 1500. In the example, the response collection moduleproduces a TEXTBOX for input control type and includes the TEXTBOX inthe form when data type value is “DATETIME.”

In another example, the response collection module includes an “OK”button control for dismissing or accepting a notification message whenthe response data type is “NULL”, and includes a “SUBMIT” button typewhen the response data type value is “DATETIME.”

Example

In an example of an agent notification system, FIG. 18 is a schematicdiagram of sensory alerts based upon selected levels of sensorynotification in characterized notification messages. Sensory alertspresets are established to create four options for notification meaningof sensory alerts: “URGENT NEGATIVE”, “NEGATIVE”, “URGENT POSITIVE” and“POSITIVE.” Any other notifications are muted in the sensory alerts.

Upon receiving a specific notification message, the WNS executesappropriate sensory alerts. The sensory alerts arrangement illustratedin FIG. 18 includes various sensor alerts that are preset by the user(agent). In FIG. 18, the top row of alert symbols indicate the settingsfor audible alerts; the middle row indicates settings for vibrationalerts; and the bottom row indicates settings for light alerts; in eachcase depending on the notification meaning below. (Visual alerts includered lights for urgent negative and negative notifications, and greenlights for positive and urgent positive notifications). As part of thesettings, the user may set preferences for the length of time for eachalert/notification type to last. For example, a positive Audible alertcould be set to last 2 seconds, Vibration alert to last 1 second, andVisual alert to last 5 seconds.

The sensory alerts executed depend upon which of the four options fornotification meaning applies to a specific notification message:

For an urgent positive notification, the following alerts are executed:

Audible: Rapid Interval Low Pitch Sound (2 beeps per second)

Vibration: Rapid and Low Intensity Vibration (2 per second)

Visual: Rapid Green Blinking Light (2 per second)

For a positive notification, the following alerts are executed:

Audible: Low Pitch Sound (1 beep per second)

Vibration: Low Intensity Vibration (1 per second)

Visual: Green Quick Blinking Light (1 per second)

For a negative notification, the following alerts are executed:

Audible: High Pitch Sound (1 per second)

Vibration: High Intensity Vibration (1 per second)

Visual: Red Blinking Light (1 per second)

For an urgent negative notification, the following alerts are executed:

Audible: Rapid Interval High Pitch Sound (2 per second)

Vibration: Rapid High Intensity Vibration (2 per second)

Visual: Rapid Red Blinking Light (2 per second)

Following the execution of sensory alerts appropriate to the specificnotification message, the WNS senses whether the user is looking at thewearable device. For example, smartwatch 110 may execute a vibratorysensory alert, and a position sensor may sense that the user has movedhis wrist to look at the smartwatch. If the user elects to look at thesmartwatch, the smartwatch displays an infographic icon appropriate tothe notified event.

The foregoing method descriptions and the process flow diagrams areprovided merely as illustrative examples and are not intended to requireor imply that the steps of the various embodiments must be performed inthe order presented. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the artthe steps in the foregoing embodiments may be performed in any order.Words such as “then”, “next”, etc. are not intended to limit the orderof the steps; these words are simply used to guide the reader throughthe description of the methods. Although process flow diagrams maydescribe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operationscan be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order ofthe operations may be re-arranged. A process may correspond to a method,a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a processcorresponds to a function, its termination may correspond to a return ofthe function to the calling function or the main function.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, andalgorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosedherein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, orcombinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability ofhardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules,circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms oftheir functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented ashardware or software depends upon the particular application and designconstraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans mayimplement the described functionality in varying ways for eachparticular application, but such implementation decisions should not beinterpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the presentinvention.

Embodiments implemented in computer software may be implemented insoftware, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware descriptionlanguages, or any combination thereof. A code segment ormachine-executable instructions may represent a procedure, a function, asubprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a softwarepackage, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures,or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another codesegment or a hardware circuit by passing and/or receiving information,data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments,parameters, data, etc. may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via anysuitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing,network transmission, etc.

The actual software code or specialized control hardware used toimplement these systems and methods is not limiting of the invention.Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and methods weredescribed without reference to the specific software code beingunderstood that software and control hardware can be designed toimplement the systems and methods based on the description herein.

When implemented in software, the functions may be stored as one or moreinstructions or code on a non-transitory computer-readable orprocessor-readable storage medium. The steps of a method or algorithmdisclosed herein may be embodied in a processor-executable softwaremodule, which may reside on a computer-readable or processor-readablestorage medium. A non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readablemedia includes both computer storage media and tangible storage mediathat facilitate transfer of a computer program from one place toanother. A non-transitory processor-readable storage media may be anyavailable media that may be accessed by a computer. By way of example,and not limitation, such non-transitory processor-readable media maycomprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage,magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any othertangible storage medium that may be used to store desired program codein the form of instructions or data structures and that may be accessedby a computer or processor. Disk and disc, as used herein, includecompact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc(DVD), floppy disk, and Blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce datamagnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers.Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope ofcomputer-readable media. Additionally, the operations of a method oralgorithm may reside as one or any combination or set of codes and/orinstructions on a non-transitory processor-readable medium and/orcomputer-readable medium, which may be incorporated into a computerprogram product.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: retrieving, by a server, anuncharacterized event record from an event database, wherein theuncharacterized event record is associated with a first user and asecond user; characterizing, by the server, the uncharacterized eventrecord, wherein characterizing comprises assigning a value to theuncharacterized event record based on an event impact value thatcharacterizes an impact of the uncharacterized event record, a firstuser identifier, and a second user identifier; generating, by theserver, a notification record, wherein the notification record comprisesthe characterized event record and a notification urgency value;generating, by the server, a sensory alert notification, wherein thesensory alert notification is based on the notification record and thenotification urgency value, wherein the sensory alert notificationcomprises at least one of a repeat and intensity rate of vibratingpulses, a repeat and a pitch rate of an audible alert, and a repeat rateand visual alert, and wherein: when the notification urgency value isassociated with an urgent negative notification record, then the sensoryalert notification has a first setting of vibrating pulses, audiblealert, and visual alert, when the notification urgency value isassociated with a non-urgent negative notification record, then thesensory alert notification has a second setting of vibrating pulses,audible alert, and visual alert, when the notification urgency value isassociated with an urgent positive notification record, then the sensoryalert notification has a third setting of vibrating pulses, audiblealert, and visual alert, and when the notification urgency value isassociated with a non-urgent positive notification record, then thesensory alert notification has a fourth setting of vibrating pulses,audible alert, and visual alert; and transmitting, by the server, thesensory alert notification to a mobile computing device associated withthe second user.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:requesting, by the server, transmission of biometric data from themobile computing device associated with the second user; comparing, bythe server, biometric data received with biometric data associated withthe second user; and in response to the biometric data received beingconsistent with biometric data associated with the second user,transmitting, by the server, the sensory alert notification to themobile computing device associated with the second user.
 3. The methodof claim 1, wherein the visual alert comprises displaying a colorcorresponding to the notification urgency value.
 4. The method of claim3, wherein the event details record comprises an event type value, ashort description, and a detailed description.
 5. The method of claim 1,wherein the sensory alert notification further comprises a request for aresponse from the second user.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein thesensory alert notification is displayed on a graphical user interface ofthe mobile computing device associated with the second user.
 7. Themethod of claim 5, further comprising: receiving, by the server, aresponse from the mobile computing device; and storing, by the server,the response to the request in the event database.
 8. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one of the repeat and intensity rate ofvibrating pulses, the repeat and the pitch rate of an audible alert, andthe repeat rate and visual alert is transmitted, by the server, to themobile device associated with the second user consecutive to oneanother.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing deviceis a wearable device associated with the second user.
 10. A computersystem comprising: a server configured to: retrieve an uncharacterizedevent record from an event database, wherein the uncharacterized eventrecord is associated with a first user and a second user; characterizethe uncharacterized event record, wherein characterizing comprisesassigning a value to the uncharacterized event record based on an eventimpact value that characterizes an impact of the uncharacterized eventrecord, a first user identifier, and a second user identifier; generatea notification record, wherein the notification record comprises thecharacterized event record and a notification urgency value; generate asensory alert notification, wherein the sensory alert notification isbased on the notification record and the notification urgency value,wherein the sensory alert notification comprises at least one of arepeat and intensity rate of vibrating pulses, a repeat and a pitch rateof an audible alert, and a repeat rate and visual alert, and wherein:when the notification urgency value is associated with an urgentnegative notification record, then the sensory alert notification has afirst setting of vibrating pulses, audible alert, and visual alert, whenthe notification urgency value is associated with a non-urgent negativenotification record, then the sensory alert notification has a secondsetting of vibrating pulses, audible alert, and visual alert, when thenotification urgency value is associated with an urgent positivenotification record, then the sensory alert notification has a thirdsetting of vibrating pulses, audible alert, and visual alert, and whenthe notification urgency value is associated with a non-urgent positivenotification record, then the sensory alert notification has a fourthsetting of vibrating pulses, audible alert, and visual alert; andtransmit the sensory alert notification to a mobile computing deviceassociated with the second user.
 11. The computer system of claim 10,wherein the server is further configured to: request transmission ofbiometric data from the mobile computing device associated with thesecond user; compare biometric data received with biometric dataassociated with the second user; and in response to the biometric datareceived being consistent with biometric data associated with the seconduser, transmitting, by the server, the sensory alert notification to themobile computing device associated with the second user.
 12. Thecomputer system of claim 10, wherein the visual alert comprisesdisplaying a color corresponding to the notification urgency value. 13.The computer system of claim 12, wherein the event details recordcomprises an event type value, a short description, and a detaileddescription.
 14. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the sensoryalert notification further comprises a request for a response from thesecond user.
 15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the sensoryalert notification is displayed on a graphical user interface of themobile computing device associated with the second user.
 16. Thecomputer system of claim 14, wherein the server is further configuredto: receive a response from the mobile computing device; and store theresponse to the request in the event database.
 17. The computer systemof claim 10, wherein the server is configured to transmit the at leastone of the repeat and intensity rate of vibrating pulses, the repeat andthe pitch rate of an audible alert, and the repeat rate and visual alertto the mobile device associated with the second user consecutive to oneanother.
 18. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the mobilecomputing device is a wearable device associated with the second user.